Next-Step

Next Step is a General Studies Programme (GSP) activity involving the definition of models and research studies of relevance to Human Spaceflight projects in LEO and beyond, in the 2025-2030 time-frame.

Next Step has several complementary goals:

Investigating the scientific questions that are linked to space travel beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO), especially those that can give Europe a head-start in research areas (beyond ESA current programmes) that require long lead times, to provide timely technological solutions.

Investing in research now also can help to build up competence on topics that are relevant to exploration but also to ground applications: recycling of resources, environmental control, biological radiation hazards etc.

Scientific knowledge and models e.g. on the interplanetary environment can also help make early design phases more efficient, saving time and resources by making well-informed decisions.

Among the questions that are being addressed are the following:

How does the environment in interplanetary space influence the spacecraft design and how does it change while moving in the interplanetary medium?

What Life Support System technology is suitable for a certain mission duration and crew size and what are the physical aspects driving the decision?

How do orbital design and propulsion choices affect the spacecraft capability of reaching destinations in Near-Earth interplanetary space?

Next Step comprises a number of individual GSP studies and also workshops and focus groups, as part of the GSP biannual work plan, with preparatory phases in 2011-2012 (including e.g. the NEMS CDF internal study and the 15th October 2012 Next Step workshop) and implementation in 2013-2014 (industrial studies).

Latest articles

Quick access to space, high-speed data feed and a unique vantage point are the selling points of a new commercial venture on the International Space Station. Its name is Bartolomeo, and its versatile design allows for many mission types at competitive prices from next year.

Living near a star is risky business, and positioning a spacecraft near the Sun is a very good way to observe rapidly changing solar activity and deliver early warning of possibly harmful space weather. ESA is now looking at doing just that.

ESA’s first mission of the year was launched today: GomX-4B is the Agency’s most advanced technology-tester yet, featuring a hyperspectral camera and tiny thrusters to manoeuvre thousands of kilometres from its near-twin to try out their radio link.

Simple yet efficient: intensive jumping might be a panacea for strong bones, muscles and hearts. A European study has confirmed the benefits of making giant leaps not only for astronauts, but also for elderly and sedentary people.

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Quick access to space, high-speed data feed and a unique vantage point are the selling points of a new commercial venture on the International Space Station. Its name is Bartolomeo, and its versatile design allows for many mission types at competitive prices from next year.

Living near a star is risky business, and positioning a spacecraft near the Sun is a very good way to observe rapidly changing solar activity and deliver early warning of possibly harmful space weather. ESA is now looking at doing just that.

ESA’s first mission of the year was launched today: GomX-4B is the Agency’s most advanced technology-tester yet, featuring a hyperspectral camera and tiny thrusters to manoeuvre thousands of kilometres from its near-twin to try out their radio link.

Simple yet efficient: intensive jumping might be a panacea for strong bones, muscles and hearts. A European study has confirmed the benefits of making giant leaps not only for astronauts, but also for elderly and sedentary people.

From the 30th January to the 2nd of February 2018, 16 University students completed a week of learning how to manage a project and build experiments for the Spin Your Thesis! Drop Your Thesis! and Fly Your Thesis! programmes at ESEC, in Redu, Belgium.

In just four days, a group of university students managed to prepare the preliminary design of a small satellite. The secret to their success was using the Concurrent Engineering method to speedily but effectively perform design iterations on the different subsystems and systems.

ESA is organising its 9th Summer Teacher Workshop from 10 to 13 July 2018, as well as its 4th Autumn Teacher Workshop from 4to 7 October 2018. Both workshops will take place in the Netherlands and are dedicated to European primary and secondary school teachers.

The deadline to apply for both workshops is Wednesday21 March 09:00 CET.

ESA is thrilled to announce the location and organiser of the 2018 European CanSat launch campaign: the competition will be hosted by the Regional Fund for Science and Technology (FRCT) on the island of Santa Maria, Azores (Portugal), in collaboration with local partners.

The next Alpbach Summer School will be held from 17 to 26 July 2018, and will focus on “Sample return from small Solar System bodies“. University students and young graduates have until 31 March 2018 to apply.